By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | Our roadways are busy. Traffic is back. If you walk on downtown streets, there are more people than in a long time. Tourists are returning. Restaurants are opening. Airports are picking up steam.
IN THIS ISSUE
FOCUS: Why telling the truth is so important
COMMENTARY, Brack: State doing better than you might think, feel
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: S.C. Ports Authority
NEWS BRIEFS: Charleston GOP straddles the fence on Trump
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
MYSTERY PHOTO: Where is this bridge?
CALENDAR: “Blind Justice” prints available through March 15
By Kyra Morris, contributing editor | History shows the American economy prefers checks and balances. Since 1945, the S&P 500 stock index under a divided federal government has had a 14 percent return whereas under a unified government the experience was 12 percent.
Morris
The 2020 elections are not completely over, yet the probability is for a Joe Biden presidency, a tight GOP majority in the U.S. Senate and a tighter Democratic majority in the U.S. House than before the election as more seats were taken by the GOP. We will have a divided Congress at least for the next two years. Assuming the eventual transition, how will history be written under this administration?
First, political appointments will be meaningful and more competitive, particularly at independent commissions, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, where personnel is policy.
IN THIS EDITION
TODAY’S FOCUS: Divided federal government may help economy
COMMENTARY, Brack: S.C., Democrats have keys, but need to turn on engine
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Charleston Gaillard Center
NEWS BRIEFS: City Paper to offer $10 virtual concert 8 p.m. Tuesday with McCain, Hall
FEEDBACK: Harp was key for this reader
MYSTERY PHOTO: Interesting place for a mural
CALENDAR: Animal Society’s virtual chili cook-off to be Nov. 21
By Frank Knapp, special to Charleston Currents | The City of Charleston has implemented a shelter-in-place order. Columbia has done the same. There are even calls for Gov. Henry McMaster to do so for all of South Carolina.
As a result of all governments’ actions and instructions to citizens for containing COVID-19 from spreading, small businesses are in crisis.
IN THIS EDITION:
TODAY’S FOCUS: Start printing masks now
COMMENTARY, Brack: Issue stay-at-home order now, governor
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Charleston International Airport
MY TURN, Knapp: State’s economy will survive if small businesses survive
NEWS BRIEFS: City has weathered past scourges
FEEDBACK: Send us a letter
MYSTERY PHOTO: View from above
CALENDAR: Lots to do at home online
By Frank Knapp, special to Charleston Currents | Like the rest of the nation, South Carolina’s economy seems to be humming along.
But there are warning signs and growing concern that we are heading to a recession.
The Labor Department released its monthly jobs report last week. It showed that 130,000 new jobs were created in August. However, around 25,000 were temporary census workers hired by the federal government. That puts the August total for new private-sector jobs at about 100,000.
For his part President Trump is furious at the “fake news” for pointing out that the Labor Department numbers were well below economist expectations.
Maybe August is just a “quirky month.” That is how Larry Kudlow, President Trump’s National Economic Council Director, described it.
IN THIS EDITION:
FOCUS, Knapp: Taking a look at job numbers for August
BRACK: Mayoral ad wars show two different kinds of candidates
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Charleston RiverDogs
GOOD NEWS: Hispanic Heritage Month lasts through Oct. 15
FEEDBACK: Another way to help
MYSTERY PHOTO: Old house with brown shutters
S.C. ENCYCLOPEDIA: The Battle of Ninety Six
CALENDAR: Fresh discussion on local health disparities is Sept. 17
INSIDE the Dec. 21, 2015, issue of Charleston Currents:
PHOTO: Santa’s hanging around this week
FOCUS, Fanning: One powerful action to close out 2015
BRACK: Make smart investments with robust economy
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Kaynard Photography
GOOD NEWS: New license plate, more
FEEDBACK: Send us your letters
CALENDAR, Dec. 21+: Lots of celebrations going on
REVIEW: It Ended Badly: 13 of the Worst Breakups in History
MYSTERY: This one may be pretty easy
BROADUS: Boeing SC’s 100th jet
S.C. ENCYCLOPEDIA: Spanish moss
By Andy Brack
DEC. 21, 2015 | The good thing about budgeting on the conservative side is that when things go well, there’s a little extra money left over.
On a national level, the stock market is relatively robust. Overall growth is pretty steady. The dollar is strong. And the federal deficit is the lowest since 2007. Things seem to be going so well that the Federal Reserve this week finally lifted its benchmark interest rate from zero to 0.25 percent, a long-expected minor rise intended to rein in the economy a little bit.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina! (2019) by editor and publisher Andy Brack offers incisive commentaries on the American South, politics, the common good and interesting South Carolina leaders. Available exclusively for Kindle for $7.99. A paperback version will be ready soon. Learn more.
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